What Now?
by Lady Oichi
Summary: After Episode 48, confrontations and questions arise among the Lupinrangers and the Patrangers. Mainly Sakuya/Umika, some Kairi/Tsukasa, and a very subtle hint of a one-sided Noel/Tsukasa. ONE SHOT


It started out as a Sakuya/Umika story, but it somehow turned into a fic about everyone's personal thoughts (minus Keiichiro, you'll ready why)

I really wish FanFiction would make a category for Lupinranger VS Patranger already. It's been a year and they still don't have their own World or Characters section yet.

 **Here's Your Warning:** It's best if you watch episode 48, then come back to this story.

DISCLAIMER: I wrote the story. I don't own Toei, or work for them.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Sakuya grabbed Noel by the collar. Noel had just stepped inside the office to give his report. But before he could even do that Sakuya came up to confront him about his previous knowledge. "Why didn't you tell me Umika-chan was Lupin Yellow?"

Noel maintained his composed demeanor. He knew he kept this secret for too long, and he knew how Sakuya felt about her. But like with Tsukasa and that Gangler, he didn't have the heart to say anything. How do you tell someone the person of their affection is actually their enemy? He grabbed Sakuya's wrists and gently pulled his hands away. "Would it have made a difference if I did?" He inquired.

"Of course it would have!" He said getting in his face again.

"Is that so? Well then," He leaned towards him. "What would you have done if you knew Umika-chan was Lupin Yellow?"

Sakuya gritted his teeth; he couldn't answer that. What _would_ he have done? Stopped her? Convince her this was wrong? Help her? No matter what answer he came up with, none of them were the right one, for any of them.

Thinking back to all those times he fought with Lupin Yellow, sat next to her in Good Cool Kaiser VSX, when she helped him to defeat Sahmon on Christmas, all of that was Umika. What's worse, he backed her up when everyone was convinced they were one in the same. How many times had she lied to him? How could she see him everyday knowing who he was and not being upset with him for fighting his hardest every time against her? He was supposed to be mad at her, hate her even, yet he found himself feeling sympathetic towards her. It made his head spin.

Sakuya slammed his fists on the table. That was the second time that day he shed tears.

Jim and Tsukasa looked at him sadly. For once their high energetic, happy-go-lucky member had lost it. He lost his confidence…his happiness…Umika…

"Noel…" He said agonizingly. "Why did…Umika-chan and the others do this? Why did they become Lupinrangers?" He looked up at the part-time thief. "Please…I need to know…"

He looked at him empathetically. "Sorry, but that's something you shouldn't hear from me." He told him. "If you really want to know, you should go and ask her yourself."

Sakuya's breathing became labored, and he leaned over the table to steady himself. If Keiichiro were here, he would tell him to snap out of it and get his act together. But right now, no one knew where he went. He just took off and didn't say a word to anyone.

Noel placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know it hurts being deceived." He told him. "But…if there are genuine feelings involved," He looked at Tsukasa. "Then it hurts twice as much being the deceiver."

Tsukasa looked back at him. She knew what he was trying to say, but she didn't want to hear it, not right now at least. All of this was too much to take in one day. She needed fresh air. Quietly, she made her way toward the exit. On her way out, Noel grabbed her arm to get her attention. He softly mumbled something to her, but to everyone else it fell on deaf ears as Sakuya howled in sorrow.

* * *

Umika sat on her bed, staring out the window of their new hideout. A part of her wanted to go outside, catch her breath, and take her mind off of Sakuya. But she knew if she did, she would find herself wandering back to Jurer, to the GSPO station, to Sakuya. She twirled the charms on her necklace in between her fingers. Everyone knew who they were now, going outside was not even an option anymore.

A quiet knock at her door snapped her out of her thoughts, and the door opened to reveal Touma.

"Dinner's ready if you're hungry." He informed her.

She bit her lower lip. "Thank you…" she said acknowledging his invitation.

He came in and sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

Umika turned her attention away from the window. "It's just…" She tried to form a smile. "Being here is going to take some time getting used to. I mean I know we knew this would've happened eventually, but for me…reality hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm going to miss seeing everyone at Jurer; that couple who were always fighting, the old woman who worked at the flower shop, Mana-san, Saku- " She caught herself before his name could escape her mouth. "The GSPO gang."

Touma slowly nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that old woman always tried something new on the menu."

Umika laughed softly. "Remember that time she tried everything, and she demanded us to update our menu just for her?"

Touma laughed too. "She was quite a character."

"Yeah, she was. She was always smiling too, just like…" She stopped mid sentence.

Touma raised an eyebrow. "It won't kill you if you say his name."

"I know." She replied. "But…it'll hurt." She said looking down at her lap.

He inhaled deeply. He wasn't used to these kinds of things, and he wasn't really knowledgeable in these kinds of situations. He knew though, if he and Aya were to have kids someday, she would be the one handling these types of conversations.

"Say, Touma-kun," She looked up at him. "Did it hurt this much?"

"Hmm?"

"When…" She treaded carefully on her next sentence. "When you couldn't see Aya anymore…?"

He thought about it for a moment. "I suppose so. But then, Kogure approached me, and I knew this wasn't the end."

She took in his answer. "Mm, I suppose so." She said satisfied.

"Maybe…when we wish for our loved ones back…you'll get to see him too."

Umika contemplated that thought.

"Dinner's getting cold." He said getting up from her bed. "We'd better hurry up and eat."

"I'll be right there." She said facing the window.

Touma walked to the door. He closed it about halfway before turning to her again. "You might want to close your window before going to bed." He recommended. Umika didn't look his way. "It might rain tonight."

Silently he shut the door, just as a tear fell into her lap. She looked down and more droplets began to fall from her eyes. Yep, it was raining. "Good call…" She whispered.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set over Japan. Maybe once or twice Kairi watched the sunset with Shouri, back when everything was normal, he thought to himself. He scanned the streets below. Amazingly there weren't that many GSPO patrol cars out. With what information they had on hand, he would have thought they would be on high alert right now for any trace of the "Phantom Thieves".

"Everything seems clear." He said aloud, looking at the coordinates of their destination. "I better let Kogure know about this."

"Matte."

He didn't face his rooftop visitor just yet, he wasn't ready to. Actually, he wasn't ready to face anyone yet honestly. 'But…the sooner the better.' He thought. 'Just like ripping off a band-aid.' Exhaling, he turned around and faced Tsukasa.

"Yo." He greeted her.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what, that the 'Phantom Thieves' you've been looking for this entire time have been right in front of you?" He replied sarcastically making quotation marks in the air.

Tsukasa had a pained look on her face. His words stung more than they should have. Without being able to respond, the silence in the air began to thicken. He stared out into the city once more.

Finding her voice she tried again. "Was there…was there really no other way?"

He looked over his shoulder and snorted in response. "Not really." He turned around and leaned back on the railing. "Don't take it personally; it's nothing against you guys. You just wouldn't understand."

"Then help me to!" She said taking a step towards him. "Kairi-kun, if there's something going on then let me help-"

"Enough!" He snapped cutting her off. He walked towards her, closing the distance between them. "It's like I asked before; you have to take it easy on me, no matter what I do." He felt something poke him in the gut. He looked down and saw her VS Changer aimed at him.

"And it's like I said;" She said looking at him intently. "I can't do that…"

Kairi let out a small chuckle. "Well then." He spread his arms out wide. "Shoot me."

Tsukasa gasped at him.

"Isn't that why you came here, to take me in? Finish me off? Isn't that why Noel told you where to find me?"

She pursed her lips. Using two hands, she moved her VS Changer from his gut to his chest.

He smirked at her. "Well?"

She was trembling before him, her finger dancing on the trigger. All she had to do was take one shot and that was it. But it wasn't it. Tsukasa took a good look at him; instead of seeing Lupin Red like she always did, she saw Kairi. In her mind, they had some sort of bond that she couldn't explain. She even opened up to him, letting him look into her past, telling him things she would never tell Sakuya or Keiichiro. Tears were beginning to cloud her vision. With a deep breath she lowered her Changer, loosening her grip and letting gravity do its thing.

He sighed in response to her actions. Inserting his fingers into the pink belts on the sides of her jacket, he tugged and pulled her to him. Kairi took in her appearance; normally calm and collected are the first two adjectives he would use to describe her. Yet the first two things that came to mind looking at her were broken and lost. He caught a glimpse of the tears as she gazed up at him. Tsukasa's hands rested on his wrist and she absentmindedly rubbed her thumbs back and forth over them. Her lower lip was quivering. A small part of him wanted to press his lips to hers to stop it, but the better part of him knew she would never forgive him for taking advantage of her vulnerable side. Instead he leaned down close to her ear.

"See you around." He said softly before letting her go. He smiled at her as he passed by and through the exit.

Tsukasa crumbled to the ground as soon as she heard the door shut. After a minute or two, her breathing stabilized. She realized something was poking into her side. Looking down she saw a card sticking out of the side belt. She picked it up and began to read it:

Wherever there's a Gangler, you know where to find me.

Take care until then.

You promised remember?

* * *

That scene where Sakuya confronts Noel, I kind of borrowed it from the preview ^_^ I really hope they don't kill off Sakuya and Umika's "relationship." I practically waited all season for this and they just do away with it in like 30 minutes (20/23 minutes if you take out the commercials lol)

 **As always, leave a review and tell me what you think. I think my writer's block is finally being chiseled down (yay me!) Should I write more for these couples or should I look at some of the other relationships? Thanks again for reading and I'll write soon!**


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